NameCensus.

UK surname

Ewan

Variant spelling of the Scottish surname Ewen, meaning "born of the yew tree."

In the 1881 census there were 681 people recorded with the Ewan surname, ranking it #5,291 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 853, ranked #6,562, down from #5,291 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Crathie and Braemar, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stanley and Murthly, Keith and Fife Keith and Blairgowrie East (Rattray).

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ewan is 853 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.3%.

1881 census count

681

Ranked #5,291

Modern count

853

2016, ranked #6,562

Peak year

2010

853 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ewan had 681 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,291 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 853 in 2016, ranked #6,562.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 695 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ewan surname distribution map

The map shows where the Ewan surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Ewan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ewan over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 509 #4,914
1861 historical 533 #4,927
1881 historical 681 #5,291
1891 historical 653 #5,944
1901 historical 695 #6,324
1911 historical 194 #15,250
1997 modern 718 #7,109
1998 modern 753 #7,075
1999 modern 784 #6,912
2000 modern 817 #6,664
2001 modern 777 #6,796
2002 modern 803 #6,754
2003 modern 759 #6,945
2004 modern 769 #6,888
2005 modern 768 #6,823
2006 modern 787 #6,715
2007 modern 800 #6,691
2008 modern 812 #6,659
2009 modern 839 #6,639
2010 modern 853 #6,671
2011 modern 817 #6,826
2012 modern 808 #6,784
2013 modern 844 #6,674
2014 modern 843 #6,699
2015 modern 839 #6,675
2016 modern 853 #6,562

Geography

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Where Ewans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Crathie and Braemar, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stanley and Murthly, Keith and Fife Keith, Blairgowrie East (Rattray), Alness and Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Crathie and Braemar Aberdeen
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stanley and Murthly Perth and Kinross
2 Keith and Fife Keith Moray
3 Blairgowrie East (Rattray) Perth and Kinross
4 Alness Highland
5 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ewan

These lists show first names that appear often with the Ewan surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ewan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ewan, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Ewan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ewan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ewan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ewan is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ewan falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ewan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ewan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ewan

The surname Ewan is a variant of the Scottish name Ewen, which originated from the Gaelic personal name Eoghan. This name is derived from the Old Irish word "oeghan," meaning "well-born" or "born of the yew tree." The name has its roots in the Pictish kingdom of ancient Scotland.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 12th century in the Scottish Highlands. The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles, where it was often associated with clans such as the MacEwens and the MacEwans.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls recording the feudal submission of Scots noblemen to King Edward I of England. This document included names such as Gillemychel Mchewyn and Reginaldus Mchewyn, which were likely early variations of the surname.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname was Ewen MacDougall, a prominent Scottish nobleman who lived in the late 13th century. He was the Lord of Lorn and played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence against England.

In the 16th century, the name Ewan gained recognition through the poet and satirist Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount (c. 1490-1555). He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Renaissance and served as the Lord Lyon King of Arms under King James V.

Another notable bearer of the surname was John Ewan (1741-1823), a Scottish minister and author who published several works on religious topics, including "The Importance of the Scriptures of Truth" and "Discourses on Several Important Subjects."

In the literary world, the name is associated with the Scottish writer Ewan MacColl (1915-1989), whose real name was James Henry Miller. He was a renowned folk singer, songwriter, and playwright, and played a crucial role in the folk revival movement of the 20th century.

The name also gained prominence through the British actor Ewan McGregor (born 1971), who has starred in numerous films, including the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Trainspotting, and Moulin Rouge!.

While the surname Ewan has Scottish roots, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with strong Scottish heritage or influence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ewan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ewan surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Aberdeenshire leads with 139 Ewans recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.56x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 139 22.56x
Angus 92 14.93x
Fife 61 15.49x
Perthshire 57 19.09x
Lanarkshire 53 2.46x
Lancashire 48 0.61x
Banffshire 43 31.16x
Westmorland 30 20.52x
Midlothian 28 3.14x
Middlesex 23 0.35x
Kincardineshire 18 22.22x
West Lothian 12 11.98x
Renfrewshire 11 2.13x
Yorkshire 9 0.14x
Kinross-shire 8 47.56x
Sussex 8 0.71x
Northumberland 7 0.71x
Cheshire 6 0.41x
Dumfriesshire 6 4.08x
Durham 5 0.25x
Kent 4 0.18x
Morayshire 4 3.87x
Ayrshire 2 0.40x
Buteshire 1 2.48x
Cumberland 1 0.17x
Essex 1 0.08x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.26x
Stirlingshire 1 0.41x
Suffolk 1 0.12x
Worcestershire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 30 Ewans recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.04x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 30 13.04x
Crathie Braemar 22 597.83x
Glenmuick Tullich 22 495.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 5.86x
Gamrie 20 129.79x
Govan 20 3.76x
Kendal 20 74.71x
Beath 17 136.55x
Glasgow 17 4.45x
Kinghorn 16 191.39x
Liff Benvie 16 17.10x
Banchory Ternan 15 214.29x
Marnoch 14 188.93x
Fyvie 13 129.35x
King Edward 12 169.01x
Monifieth 12 55.12x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 7.77x
Barry 9 121.62x
Finchley 9 35.28x
Meigle 9 405.41x
Monzie 9 526.32x
Perth Middle Church 9 80.14x
Bothwell 8 13.71x
Dun 8 650.41x
Forgan 8 106.10x
Fossoway 8 276.82x
Montrose 8 21.42x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 7 6.07x
Auchtertool 7 429.45x
Cruden 7 88.27x
Elswick 7 8.86x
Forfar 7 20.98x
Huntly 7 69.86x
New Hutton 7 2592.59x
Bathgate 6 27.59x
Boness 6 43.45x
Cathcart 6 21.51x
St George In East London 6 9.59x
Turriff 6 60.36x
Abbey 5 6.36x
Annan 5 39.62x
Beswick 5 24.76x
Creich 5 568.18x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 5.83x
Keith 5 33.99x
Lancaster 5 10.65x
Lower Allithwaite 5 264.55x
Moneydie 5 909.09x
Preston 5 2.37x
Sale 5 27.75x
Whitechapel London 5 7.62x
Barony 4 0.73x
Bolton In Bradford 4 94.56x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 6.38x
Crieff 4 36.04x
Dunning 4 107.24x
East Kilbride 4 43.43x
Elgin 4 19.89x
Kirkdale 4 3.01x
Midmar 4 168.07x
Perth East Church 4 14.21x
Thornton In Lonsdale 4 547.95x
Auchterarder 3 36.01x
Benholm 3 86.21x
Brighton 3 1.33x
Chatham 3 4.80x
Compton 3 454.55x
Culsalmond 3 158.73x
Edinburgh St Georges 3 16.22x
Ellon 3 35.42x
Everton 3 1.19x
Moss Side 3 7.22x
North Leith 3 7.27x
Peterhead 3 9.21x
Scone 3 56.60x
Skerton 3 46.30x
Tunstal 3 1111.11x
Urmston 3 58.59x
New Machar 2 57.80x
West Derby 2 0.87x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ewan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 8
Jane 7
Margaret 6
Clara 3
Ellen 3
Hannah 3
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Fanny 2
Lydia 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Betsy 1
Eliza 1
Evelyn 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
G. 1
Harriet 1
Haynah 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Mitchel 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ewan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 13
William 11
Thomas 8
George 4
James 4
Robert 3
Charles 2
Edward 2
Elias 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Aaron 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Campbell 1
Christopher 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Jonn 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Mungo 1
Peter 1
Rawlinson 1
Robinson 1
Robt.Francis 1
Rowland 1
Spence 1
Stanley 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Ewan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ewan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 681 people were recorded with the Ewan surname. That placed it at #5,291 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ewan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 853 in 2016. That gives Ewan a modern rank of #6,562.

What does the Ewan surname mean?

Variant spelling of the Scottish surname Ewen, meaning "born of the yew tree."

What does the Ewan map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ewan bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.